Anyone looking for a first-person shooter with heavy Alien vibes, look no further. Nornware AB's Space Beast Terror Fright might be the indie game for which players have been searching. Though it has been in development for seven long years, this arcade-like shooter has finally made its way into early access on Steam.
The basis of this game is straightforward yet extraordinary. Players begin as a Marine who must set out in a spacecraft, but unbeknownst to them, the craft is riddled with horrific, bloodthirsty aliens known as Space Beasts. With heavy roguelike energy and suspenseful jump scares, this game could be the next big horror title on Steam.
Once players board the disabled spacecraft, they will need to restore the data within the drives and get the craft up and running. The main objective is to disable the reactor's coolant system and force a self-destruct sequence, narrowly escaping with their lives. As the game goes on, players will acquire upgrades and data needed to make it to the end of the game, all while being bombarded by giant toothy aliens. Much like the classic movie Aliens, written by James Cameron, players will be armed with shotguns and rifles to take on the enemy. Players will also be equipped with a top-of-the-line tracker device that can detect movement nearby, similar to the device used in the groundbreaking movie.
One of the critical concepts of Space Beast Terror Fright is the complex maze-like spacecraft into which players are forced. This creates an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia and gives players a minimal view distance, inducing nothing but fear and anxiety. While this technique may seem intimidating and impossible to manage, players can send out Robo-sentries that will help demolish the surrounding swarms to help them make their way through the craft. This limited view has become a selling point, as players seem to love the idea of having no clue what lies ahead. The game is bursting with potential, chock-full of intense jump scares and unintentional comedy.
The game developer has referenced the movie Aliens specifically when discussing the game's difficulty, stating, "I really wanted to try to capture the intensity of that movie and attempt to draw it out as much as possible." More so, it showcases the similarities between the two with tight quarters that split off into narrow passageways, forcing players to rely on their positioning readings to have any clue where the next Data Core is located. The dark and seemingly endless hallways keep the mood tense as players move forward. Like the movie, the stakes feel incredibly high and keep the pressure on the players as they blindly move through the harsh environment.
Nornware AB's roguelike approach to this FPS makes it incredible and works well for the game. The objectives are easy even for even novice players to understand, but they are still quite challenging to accomplish. The game makes players attempt to take the "just one more run" mentality and does so in a nostalgia-generating way that appeals to old-school shooter lovers. Though the game has only just entered early access on Steam, gamers seem to be loving its dreadful jump scares. With tension that could be cut with a knife and an eerie spacecraft that should cause players to sweat profusely, gamers are on the edge of their seats to see what's in store for Space Beast Terror Fright in the near future.
